For about ten days I go back to my home country to see my family who live in Central Africa.

Each trip brings its share of surprises and I understand that not everyone can go back as often as they would like.

If you add everything up, a trip home can be quite expensive if you don’t plan it 6 months in advance… The price varies depending on the services you choose and the destination. The main items to consider are:

• Flight ticket: depending on the periods, prices can vary from simple to double. If you can afford it, avoid school holidays.
• Visa: if you need a visa, you have to anticipate its recovery and the cost which in some countries can be prohibitive…
• Accommodation: if you don’t have family or acquaintance on site who can receive you, accommodation becomes necessary. The price here varies from all to nothing. This will depend mainly on the services you are looking for.
• Transportation: depending on your movements and also how you are going to move, this item can become significant. You can move like the locals or hire a driver.
• Food: like the previous item, everything will depend on how you are going to do it: local solution, cook for yourself or eat out every day.
• Gifts: as a good African who respects himself, in my opinion it is difficult to return without having some gifts requested by the family or friends. Depending on how you want to please, the item will be more or less important.

Added up, all these items represent a considerable sum that many people cannot afford every year.

If you add to this your children, you have to add a factor on each of the items.